(Image: ITV)
aOur Yorkshire Farm star Amanda Owen says her TV work and books have been a financial "lifeline", without which her family could not have carried on.
The Yorkshire Shepherdess, 52, revealed the financial realities of farm life on ITV’s Lorraine on Tuesday, October 6.
Amanda said TV success and book sales had helped her and former husband Clive Owen maintain their life with their nine children in the Yorkshire Dales.
Amanda told Lorraine Kelly that sharing their lives with viewers while showing farming honestly was difficult.
She said TV, writing and other work helped the family meet its bills and described the extra income as a lifeline.
Amanda admits that farm life is "tough" and wants to reveal the truth about the lifestyle in her TV shows.
"If it wasn't for the television and everything...we wouldn't be able to carry on. It's been a lifeline," she said.
"I want people to watch and think if she can, I can," she added.
The admission highlights the pressures on the family, whose life at Ravenseat Farm in Swaledale first drew millions of viewers to Channel 5’s Our Yorkshire Farm.
Amanda and Clive became household names as cameras followed them raising nine children and managing livestock in the remote countryside.
But their personal circumstances have changed sharply since the show first aired.
The couple announced their separation in June 2022 after 22 years of marriage but have continued to work together on the farm and raise their children.
Their ongoing partnership is now documented in Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids, which returned for a fourth series this week.
The More4 programme follows the family as they restore Anty John's, a derelict farmhouse near their home.
Amanda, Clive and their children are working with local tradespeople to bring the historic farmhouse back into use.
The former couple remain closely involved in the project while balancing the building work, farming and family life.
Amanda also spoke about the difficulty of showing their lives honestly while viewers followed their changing personal circumstances.
She stressed the importance of recognising her nine children’s different personalities and hoped viewers and readers would take something positive from their experiences.
The latest series follows the Owens as they progress with their new home and deal with the daily challenges of running a farm in the Yorkshire Dales.
Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids continues on More4 on Monday, October 12, at 9pm, with episodes also available to stream on Channel 4.